Chapter 59: Speed rats.

Chapter 59: Speed rats.

WITH PETE FOLLOWING close behind him, Nigel jogged through the forest, the familiar terrain blurring around them. He moved with practiced ease, dodging a razor fern, and automatically, the royal, now surprisingly adept, did the same.

This journey was a far cry from their first trek to the treehouse. Nigel recalled with vivid clarity all the dangers Pete had stumbled into, all the near-fatal blunders that first day he’d met him.

Now, the royal’s head constantly swiveled, scanning the surroundings, his movements swift and economical. And, surprise-surprise, he didn’t talk. The silence, a profound and welcome absence of noise, made Nigel’s lips twitch into a small, private smile. Getting this bloke to realize the inherent dangers here, and how crucial silence was for survival, were both significant indicators of how much Pete had learned since arriving on this brutal planet.